§ 28. Captain BOURNEasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to a leaflet issued by the Ministry, headed "The position of domestic servants employed in hotels, boarding houses, apartment and lodging- 3102 houses, and similar establishments"; whether this pamphlet has been issued in consequence of the decision of Mr. Justice Roche in M. N. Clarke (de Tame) on the 13th January, 1922, which case is unreported; whether he is aware that an inspector has recently been visiting the lodging-house keepers in Oxford, and demanding payment of arrears in respect of unemployment insurance for servants employed by them in their businesses; and whether, in view of the fact that these persons have had great difficulty in ascertaining the true state of the law in regard to the payment of unemployment insurance in respect of their servants, and also of the hardship involved in many cases by the demand for large amounts due for arrears, he will give instructions that no retrospective demands shall be made?
§ Mr. SHAWI am aware of the leaflet referred to. It is based upon the decision of Mr. Justice Roche, in the case of Rushmore and Clarke, heard on the 20th December, 1921. I am aware that demands have been made by an inspector for the payment of arrears of unemployment insurance contributions by certain lodging-house keepers in Oxford, but I am not aware of any hardship resulting from these demands; and I am unable to accept the view that any difficulty need have been experienced by lodging-house keepers in Oxford in ascertaining their position. By arrangement with the Vice-Chancellor of the University, a supply of the leaflet referred to was sent in November, 1922, to the Secretary of the Delegacy for Lodgings for distribution among the licensed lodging-house proprietors, and information on the subject could have been obtained at any time from the local Employment Exchange, or from the headquarters of the Ministry.